Page 36 - Digital handbook - English

05 Teacher and staff training and professional development

Using digital technologies in a way that includes everyone benefits many people, like
students, teachers, parents, and local communities. Teachers, in particular, find

technology very helpful because it makes it easier for them to join online training
sessions, connect with other teachers online, and lessen their workload. For instance,
with the help of tools like learning analytics and artificial intelligence, teachers can
manage their classrooms more efficiently. This means they have to spend less time on
repetitive tasks, giving them more time for other important activities (summarized after

OECD 2023, 29).

Teacher and Staff training and ongoing professional development are crucial for the

successful implementation of inclusive digital education. In the realm of education, it’s
essential for both policy and practice to consider key factors that impact students’
engagement with digital learning:
●First, there’s a need to recognize and raise awareness about how some students might
be at risk of being left behind, especially in digital learning environments. This includes

understanding how a student's background— like their disabilities or special educational
needs —can affect their ability to participate fully in digital education.

● Second, it’s important to ensure that every student has not just access to digital
education, but also the opportunity to actively engage and even contribute to the
creation of digital tools that support their learning. The untapped knowledge and skills
that students, along with their families and friends, possess can be invaluable in shaping
and refining new educational technologies.

The Inclusive Digital Education Report suggests, that teachers often need more skills in
using digital tools. It's important for their training and ongoing learning to improve these

skills regularly. They should know how to use technology and how to choose the right
digital learning materials. They also need to create learning spaces that work for all
students, considering each one's likes, abilities, or strengths. When teachers bring digital
tools into the classroom, they have to think carefully about what's good and bad about
using these tools, like how they handle student information and what they need to work

properly.

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